Browsing: FERS

Q. I’m a FERS employee. Before I got a career position, I was in a temporary appointment for a year. I’ve been told that I could buy back my temp time by making a deposit to the retirement system. Is that true? A. Unfortunately, no. Under FERS, periods of non-deduction service performed on or after Jan. 1, 1989, aren’t creditable for either length of service or annuity computation purposes.

Q. I’m a FERS retiree. If I die and don’t have anyone who would be entitled to a survivor annuity, what happens to the money that I had deducted from my pay while I was working? A. Any money that had not already been returned to you in annuity payments would be paid out according to the standard order of precedence found in law: First, to the beneficiary or beneficiaries designated; If none, to the widow or widower; If none, to a child or children, with the share of any deceased child distributed among the descendants of that child; If…

Q. I’m a FERS employee who was hired in 2011. If I decide to retire with 10 years of service when I’m 58 and delay the receipt of my annuity until I reach age 62, how will that affect my enrollment in the health benefits program? A. If you were enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program for the five consecutive years before you retired, your coverage would end after 31 days. While you’d be able to keep that coverage under the temporary continuation of coverage provision for up to 18 months, you’d be responsible for paying the entire…

Q. I’m a FERS retiree who is receiving the special retirement supplement. I’ll turn 62 in November. When will my SRS end? A. Your special retirement supplement will end on the earlier of 1.) the last day of the month in which you turn age 62 or 2.) the last day of the month before the first month on which you would be eligible for a Social Security benefit, whether you apply for it or not.

Q. I am 40 years old and have seven years of federal service under FERS. Is it worth my time to keep on working three more years so I’ll qualify for the MRA+10 benefit? A. Even if you had 10 years of service, you couldn’t retire under the MRA+10 provision because you wouldn’t have reached your minimum retirement age, which is 57. However, because you have at least five years of creditable service, you could leave government at any time. If you didn’t ask for a refund of your retirement contributions, you could apply for a deferred annuity. If you…

Q. In November I will have five years of service and I bought back my Army time of three years, which gives me eight years of service. If I pass away, will my spouse be eligible for a monthly annuity check? I’m 58 and would have 10 years at 60, which should be my minimum retirement age. A. When you have five years of actual FERS service, you’ll be vested in the retirement system. If you die after you are vested, your widow would be entitled to a survivor annuity. If you were to die before that, she wouldn’t. Then…

Q. I’m a FERS employee. Can I retire at age 53 with 25 years of service? A. No you can’t, unless your agency offers you that opportunity because it is undergoing substantial restructuring, reshaping, downsizing, a transfer of function, or reorganization. If they aren’t, you can always resign and apply for an unreduced annuity when you reach age 60. Or you could retire under the MRA+10 provision when you reach your minimum retirement age, which would be 56 and 4 months. However, in that case your annuity would be reduced by 5 percent per year (5/12ths of 1 percent per…

Q. I was employed in June 2011 as an Army civilian. I served 33 years in the Marine Corps, out of which 14 years or so were active duty. I was still in the reserves when I was employed and retired from the reserves on July 1, 2011. My service computation date was computed to 08/27/97 for leave. After attending one of your seminars, I checked the government retirement and benefits website and my SCD on GRB is the same as my leave date. According to the GRB website, I am eligible for voluntary retirement on Jan. 18, 2020. Problem is,…

Q. I’m a FERS employee who has already submitted his paperwork to retire. Now, I’ve changed my mind and want to move it to a later date. Can I do that? A. In most cases, changing your retirement date won’t be a problem. However, if your position is either being eliminated or your agency has already selected someone to fill your position, it can refuse your request. The reason for its refusal will have to be given to you in writing.

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